


Presents For Idiots In Love

by SnowyMay



Series: Idiots in Love [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Presents, Fluff, Idiots in Love, M/M, Merry Christmas, Short, Snames, under 1k
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-25
Updated: 2015-12-25
Packaged: 2018-05-09 05:21:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 754
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5527148
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SnowyMay/pseuds/SnowyMay
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Severus and James exchange presents on Christmas.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Presents For Idiots In Love

No matter how hard Severus glared at the cloth it simply wouldn’t burst into flames. He had never (with the possible exception of the Sorting Hat) hated an inanimate object more. Severus had to admit that it wasn’t the material that stirred such anger, but the reason he’d spent so long crafting it.  
He’d poured his heart and soul into each piece of thread, spent hours designing it, worked hard to develop a pattern that would suit the cause, laced his magic into its very essence-and after months of labor it was complete. He had created an intricate representation of his love.  
And he detested it.

James Potter had never spent so much time looking at and for a book. It was old, ancient and somewhat pointless from his point of view-but it would mean the world to his-  
Nothing. Severus was nothing to him. They weren’t friends, weren’t lovers, weren’t anything. The only relationship they managed was a stiff, unhappy game of predator and prey. They’d swap roles on occasion, but from Severus’ point of view James Potter knew he was nothing more than a monster in human skin.  
The book had been, in his mind initially at least, the way to change it all. But after looking at it, after re-wrapping it over and over again, after struggling to pick out the perfect quill to go with it, had given him an unhappy conclusion.  
Severus Snape would never consider him more than a villain and some stupid mound of paper wouldn’t fix that.

Severus wrapped his gift in the most appropriate wrapping paper he could think of-emerald matte paper with gold and red ribbons. The wrapping was all the inclination of who it was from that James was going to get; green like himself with James, all red and gold, wrapped around him. Sitting alone in his room he began addressing it.  
To…  
To who? To the man that was breaking his heart? No, James wasn’t a man yet-still stupid and reckless. To the Boy that was breaking his heart? Severus refused to let someone like him break his heart, even if it was a struggle. He picked up his only quill, battered and old, and dipped it.  
To: The Boy Who I Won’t Let Break Me

James had decided on old newspaper for the final wrapping, twine for the ribbon. He carefully attached the label to the rough trimmings. He was tempted to simply write his name but Severus would undoubtably toss anything with so much as a lion on it.  
From: The One You’ll Never Love

On Christmas morning Severus gently curled up for a few more seconds of warmth and sleep. He knew not to expect anything from his parents, knew that only Regulus and Lily would have bothered to send him anything. He’d bribed the house elves to bring him his breakfast, which he ate slowly, savoring each flavor before finally opening his meager presents.  
Lily had given him two of next year’s textbooks (always the practical one) while Remus had given him a new cloak, enchanted to keep snow and the cold out. The third gift, that one had been a shocker.

James rolled out of bed, tumbling out of his pajamas and into his day clothes. A huge grin graced his face while he ate with his parents, as he ripped through each and every present he’d received. James had almost missed the strangely out of place present nestled in his stocking.

The pair would end up spending their day (and the weeks to come) wondering who had given them their gifts. James would wrap his new, hand knit scarf around his neck and bask in the enchanted warmth that rippled through him, the feeling of calm it evoked and the gentle scent of ink, books and spice that it always smelled of. Severus on the other hand would run his fingers over the old leather and breathe in the history and magic of the old empty book, holding the quill in his hand and marveled how perfect it felt.  
They would both fantasized over who had given it to them. Severus imagined it was someone tall, dark and handsome, someone who would reveal themselves to him and make him feel loved. James liked to think that it was some little beauty that would make him believe in everything people had told him about love.  
But their initial thought, and prayer that they both refused to even acknowledge, was that their secret love had sent it.

**Author's Note:**

> Merry Christmas (And expect more holiday sequels?)


End file.
